Salmonella Fears Hurt ConAgra Again

Article Excerpt

CONAGRA FOODS INC. $16 (New York symbol CAG, Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 447.1 million; Market cap: $7.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; WSSF Rating: Above Average) reports that a recent salmonella outbreak has lowered sales of its Peter Pan peanut butter. However, the source of the contamination, Peanut Corp. of America, is not one of its suppliers. In 2007, salmonella contamination at its own plant forced ConAgra to recall Peter Pan products. The company has launched a new advertising campaign to reassure consumers that its peanut butter is safe, and the related discount coupons should help improve Peter Pan’s sales. ConAgra also feels that new products, such as value-priced frozen meals, will help it reach its earnings target of $1.50 a share for the year ending May 31, 2009. The stock trades at 10.7 times that figure. ConAgra is a buy. buy…